Improvement in mowing-machines



N T P F I N K mm L UNION MOWING MACHINE;

No. 33,998. Patented 1360.. 24, 1861.

. o kw minesses UNITED STATES PATET Fries.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING-MACH|NES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent lio. 33,998, dated December 24, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, L. G. KNIFFEN, of Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mowing Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure l represents a perspective View of the machine as it appears when the fingerbeam rests on the ground and the tongue is raised. Fig. 2 represents a front-view of the machine, the tongue being raised and the finger-beam, cutter-bar, and cutters being shown in three different positions.

In the drawings, A represents the main frame, composed of longitudinal and cross pieces properly fastened together, as fully indicated in the drawings. This frame A is suspended from the axle B of the wheels O O by means of boxes or bearings a a, to be fastened in any well-known manner to the main frame.

D is the tongue .ordraft beam, to which the team is tobe fastened or hitched in any of the well-known methods. The rear of tongue D is fastened in a groove or recess in the projection I) of the metal piece E. The axle B is run or passed through a hole in the rear of piece E, whereby the connection of the tongue isformed with the machine without the use of cap-pieces and screws. As it is sometimes desirable to set or adjust the tongue D to the right or left, the rear of piece E is slotted out near its center, and a collar or adj Listing-ring, c, is slipped onto the axle B as it is passed through the piece E, so as to occupy a place on said axle, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. The collar or adjustingring c is provided with a bolt or set-screw, (1, whereby it can be fastened to axle B, so as to hold the piece E and tongue D in any desired position, either to the right or left on axle B. By this mode of construction the line of draft can be very quickly changed to suit the circumstances of the case.

F is the 'drivers seat, supported by the metal arm G, fastened to the rear of tongue D and the front projection of the piece E by bolts or screws which pass through all three pieces, and thus render separatebolts or screws for fastening the tongue D and piece E together unnecessary. To the under side of the front inner corner is fastened the. coupling metal piece H,-providedwith two sets of arms, 6 e, which project out and down, and between which the earsf of the shoe I are hinged, as indicated in the drawings.

vShoe I supports the heel of the fingeream J, to which are fastened the guards g g, over which the cutters '12 i, fastened to the cutterbar h, work. The outer end of the finger-beam is provided with a hollow shoe, K, having a slot on its outside, whereby a small wheel can be used to support the outer end of the fingerbeam. Shoe K is open on the inner side, so that thewheel is passed in from that side, the end of its journal passing through the slot in the outside of 'K, and by means of a nut applied thereto said wheel can be set to hold the outer end of the finger beam at different heights from the ground, or let it rest entirely on the ground.

To the rear of shoe K are fastened the curved track-board L and curved arm M, both rigidly. By the conjoint action of L and M the cut grass is separated from that which is left standing and thrown inward from the lat ter toward the machine, whereby a clear path for shoe I on the next round is secured. Shoe K is provided with an opening or slot, Z, so that the outer end of the cutter-bar h and outer cutter can work through the same, the cutterbar being retained in position by guide-pieces j, fastened to the top of the finger-beam. (See Fig. 1.)

As it is desirable that the driver. should be able to control the finger-beam or raise the same from the ground, a bent hearing or hanger piece, 0, is fastened to tongue D, so as to project on its inner side, where it supports a guide-pulley, m, as indicated in Fig. 1, and over which passes chain a, which is fastened in front to the lip 0 of the metal piece H, and in rear to lever P, hinged to the frame A at p. Supposing the front of the tongue to be supported by the team, it will be observed that if the driver takes hold of lever P and draws it back, the frontof the frame will be raised, and consequently shoe I with it, together with the entire finger-beam, until the parts assume position 1, Fig. 2, when, if lever P is still further depressed, so as to be caught under catch Q, fastened to the rear of the frame, the finger-beam' and cutter will be made to assume I driver using his hand for that purpose.

position 2, Fig. 2. 111 this position the machine canbe moved without throwing the gearing out of action, while the elevation of the finger-beam is such as to enable the machine to pass over or by quite large stumps or stones. When,,however, it is desired to fold the finger-beam still nearer the machine, the gearing is thrown out of action,- and the driver, taking hold of the outer end of the finger-beam, or its parts L M, draws the finger-beam into an upright position at the side of the machine, as indicated in position 3, Fig. 2, the curved piece L just clearing the inner wheel. When in this position, the finger-beam is kept in place by a catch or latch piece, 8, hinged to the top of the frame A, and projecting out so i that its notch t will catch on the back of the finger-beam. Catch-piece dis forced forward by thefront end of a curved spring, a, fast-.

ened to the second cross-piece of .the main frame. Latch s is therefore self-operating so far as the folding of the finger-beam up is con-v cerned, but has to be withdrawn before the finger-beam can be unfolded, and for which purpose a small foot-lever or device could be attached, so as to obviate the necessity of the The reason why the entire finger-beam'is raised in nearly a horizontal position, as seen at 1, Fig.

2, by simply raising the front of the frame is the fact there is a short knuckle, 1), Fig 2, on the side of shoe I, and which strikes against the foot w of piece g, which is hinged between the rear arms, 6 e, of piece H, as fully indicated in the drawings. To the top of piece (1 is hinged or-pivoted the upright arm :v,which passes up through a hole in the side piece of frame A, and 'is provided on its top with a head or cap, y, so that when lever P is de pressed lower than is suflicient to raise the finger beam into posion 1, Fig. 2, it comesin contact with cap or head g on arm as, and forces the latter down, thus causing foot w'to press down knuckle v,.whereby the outer end of the finger-beam is caused .to rise, as indicated in position 2, Fig. 2. The form of piece q is shown in Fig. 3. To unfold the finger-beam, the driver withdraws the latch s, and then pulls lever P out from under catch Q, and lets the lever up gradually after having turned the finger-beam down by hand into position 2,

Fig. 2, until the finger-beam rests upon the 4 ground, as indicated in F g. 1.

The drivers seat is projected back in rear of axle B, whereby there is a tendency'to tip up the tongue; but the front of frame A is suspended from tongue D by means of chain z, fastened at its lower end' to frame A and hitched in a slit in the rigid arm R, fastened to the rear of tongue I). The height .of shoe I from the ground can be controlled by adjusting chain 2. The slit in the end of R,being j ust wide enough to receive the link when presented edgewise, prevents the chain from drawing down.

There are quite a number of advantages attending the use of chain z and arm R for suppension is from the opposite side of the frame from the crankshaft. Again, the machine is more quickly adjusted and .with less danger than in the modes heretofore adopted and ap plied on the opposite side of the machine.

The upper end of the chain Z is to be prop-- erly hooked or fastened to arm B, so that it cannot drop down onto the ground. One advantage gained by attaching the lower curved track-piece, L, rigidly to the shoe K is that when so connected its rear end, by being de pressed when the finger-beam is raised, strikes against the ground, and thus serves to elevate the outer end of. the finger-beam and keep it up even with the heel end. (See Fig. 2.) In consequence of this function of the part L there can be left greater play between the knuckle '0 and foot w when the machine is in operation, whereby either end of the finger-beam can rise and fall, or the entire bar, to conform to the irregularities of the ground with greater freedom than otherwise.

Fitman T is connected to the head of the crank-pin, which projects from the balancewheel on the front end of the crank-shaft S. The mode of constructing the joint is not new; but the arrangement of the joint in the place and manner shown enables it to perform an additional function from what it does in on dinary use. As here used, the front of the socket is all smooth, and answers the purpose of a shield to prevent cut stalks of grass from falling against and winding up on the end of the crank-pin. The team can be hitched up closer, too, without danger of the crank being clogged by catching stalks thrown up by their feet.

Motion is imparted to shaft S from the main wheel in this instance by means of a bevel-gear, U, fast on axle B, acting upon a small bevelgear, V, on the rear of shaft S, the latter being sustained in suitable bearings on frame A, and connected to the cutter-bar by means of pitman T. Any of the common and wellknown methods of thgowing the cutter out of action may be applie to this machine. Wis a staple fastened to support the pitman and cutter-bar when the latter is folded, as seen in Fig. 2.

The main wheels 0 O are fastened to axle B;

but they might be connected by pawls and ratchets, so as not to operate the cutters when the machine is backed.

Having thus described my improved niachine, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the front inner eases 3 corner of themain frame and rearinner side 4. suspending the front of the frame from of tongue D', of shoe 1, coupling or connecting piece H, bent hearing-piece O, with its pulley m, chain at, and lever P, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2.7'The combination of piece q and pivoted armfc with shoe I and lever P, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

. 3. The combination of the rigid track-piece L with a finger-beam hinged to the front in ner corner of a main, frame having a hinged tongue, and the elevating-lever, as and for the purposesset forth. 1

the tongue by means of chain z and arm R, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the metal piece hi and collar 0 with axle B and tongue D, as described. In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed myfname.

Tnosl H. DODGE, ALBYRUs BROWN. 

